Separated
by animal-luver8153
Summary: After another attempt at bringing Oogie back, the trio are being separated between the worlds for one year. But when it's time to go home, the doors start breaking. Can Shock fix them or have the trio seen each other for the last time? Mostly Shock P.O.V
1. Sentence

"They can't do this," Shock cried, "They can't separate us!"

Shock sobbed, Lock put his arm around her, trying to comfort her. They were in a spare room in the back of the Town Hall, there were three cots squashed closely together in the small room. There was a single large window were they could see the setting sun just past Spiral Hill. Lock and Shock were sitting on one of the cots, Barrel was curled up in the furthest cot; he had been silent since the hearing, so it was hard to tell if he was asleep or not.

It has been four years since Oogie had first been defeated. Lock, Shock, and Barrel are thirteen now. Shock was now tall and lean, her clothes were mostly black and purple, she preferred long sleeves with wide wrist ways, normally wore a knee high skirt, black hiking boots, knee high black and purple socks, and a bigger version of her original witches' hat. Her magic powers have really come out since then, though that's what got them here in the first place. Lock had gained some muscle over the years which couldn't be seen with his favorite black hoodie. He traded his horned mask for his newly growing horns; he had a real tail since he came to Halloween Town but now it is sharper and can be controlled better. Barrel wore a sweatshirt and sweatpants with bones printed on them. He got very skinny because his arms and legs became skin and bone after puberty.

The trio had tried many times to revive their old master, and every time Jack has defeated him. With their latest resurrection of Oogie, Halloween Town was almost completely destroyed. (Let's just say that a certain growth potion worked a little too well.) Every building needed some sort repairing, the town square needed to build a new fountain, streets needed new cobble stones, and the graveyard needed its tombstones put back in the right order. The only thing that no one even thought of rebuilding was Lock, Shock, and Barrel's Tree House. It had been completely leveled, the boards were scattered across the surrounding field, Shock's blueprints for 'the perfect prank' were torn and crumpled, Lock's death traps were bent and broken, and nothing was left of Barrel's candy stash. (Weather it had been lost or Barrel had eaten it all when he found it, is a mystery.)

"I would have never brought him back if this was going to happen," Shock cried.

Lock wanted to say something to make her feel better, but he couldn't think of anything to say. They were being separated, not just too different parts of Halloween Town, but to different worlds. And she had gotten the worst one. Jack had announced their sentenced today; it was the first court hearing in Halloween Town in decades.

"For the good of Halloween Town, its citizens, and to ensure that Oogie Boogie never rises again, you three are to be separated between the worlds. Lock, you are staying here in Halloween Town were you can be under watchful eye. Barrel, you are sentenced to Christmas Town where you can help the elves with their Christmas preparations. Shock; since your magic is what brought Oogie to life these many times, you are hereby sentenced to the Mortal World."

Shock had turned from pale green to white when her sentence was given, she looked as though she was going to fall and die again that very moment. She stayed that way until they were escorted to the back room where they were now, then burst into tears.

"There isn't any magic in the Mortal World! I'll practically be human!" Shock cried with a fresh set of tears, "Human Lock! Human!"

At this point Lock was trying to hold back tears himself, he had never seen Shock like this before. She was always the one with the good plans, with the best ideas, with the attitude that got things done, if she thought it was hopeless, it probably was. At least she wouldn't be crying for long. When a person dies they forget a lot of what there lives were like so that they don't want to go back to the living. Lock had heard that the Mortal World does the same thing; it made those who were banished there forget about where they came from. That's why humans couldn't find the holiday worlds, and why banished creatures never come back. At least Frankenstein, the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti, and the entire population of Sasquatches didn't remember. Shock would probably forget all about him. And Barrel too of course.

Someone knocked on the door. Shock quickly stopped crying and rubbed tears from eyes, Lock quickly removed his arm from around her, and Barrel gave a little moan to show that he was awake but remained in his curled up state. A few moments later Jack walked in followed by Sally. Jack's eyes immediately went to Shock, who hadn't done a very good job hiding that she had been crying her eyes out.

"Heh hem," Jack started, "We are here to tell you that your sentences have been revised."

"What' that supposed to mean?" Lock said sullenly. Jack was the reason they were being separated, and worse, made Shock cry.

"It means," Sally began, "That there is a chance of you three being reunited."

"What!" Shock said eagerly.

"After Sally persuaded me that being separated forever is far too much for you three," Jack explained, "I remembered a tradition I learned in Christmas Town. The tradition is that only good little boys and girls got presents on Christmas."

"So?"Lock asked hopefully.

"So," Sally picked up, "If you three behave yourselves in your separate world for of one year, starting tomorrow on Halloween, then your banishment is over and you can be reunited here in Halloween Town."

"So all we have to do is stay in a separate world for a year?" Shock said.

"Not just that," Jack continued, "Being good means no pranks, no explosions, no foul language, no death traps, no stealing, no evil spells, no potions, and absolutely, positively no more Oogie Boogie!"

Jack and Sally left the room after they explained what would happen tomorrow. Lock, Shock, and Barrel would be escorted to the Hinterlands at dawn. They got to say their last goodbyes before Sally took Barrel into Christmas Town and Jack took Shock to the Mortal World. Jack and Sally will stay long enough to settle them in the world then come back to the Halloween celebration. To make sure Lock didn't try to go after them, Tall Witch and Small Witch will put a magical barrier around the Hinterlands that only they could break. The same barrier would stop Shock and Barrel from coming back to Halloween Town.

Later on, Shock fell asleep. Barrel, still in his curled up position, was probably asleep by now. Lock pulled out a small object he had made. Shock was going to remember him for sure, not even the Mortal World will make her forget.

Author's Note:

Well, this is my first story to make it to the internet. So I'm very new at this. Please comment and tell me what you think. But like Jack said and I quote, "no foul language." Seriously, I'm against that. Be nice.


	2. Goodbye

The trio walked silently through the woods. The rising sun created thousands of shadows and silhouettes around the group. Sally led the way with Tall Witch and Small Witch, behind them was Lock, Shock, and Barrel. Jack was walking behind them followed by two ghosts. The three hadn't said much to each other since they woke up that morning. What do you say when the last time you see your best friends, your only family, might be right now? The group was nearing the Hinterlands, the holiday doors were appearing on the trees.

"We're here," Sally said, breaking the eerie silence.

The sparkly door to Christmas Town stood in the center tree like it did when Lock, Shock, and Barrel first saw it, even though they had thought that Sandy Claws would rather be in the colorful Easter egg door. What many didn't know is that the doors change position when it's their turn to be celebrated in the mortal world. Because the center tree has two doors, one for the next holiday on the front and a plain, old, regular door for the mortal world on the back.

"We better get started," said Tall Witch, as she took out some herbs from her pocket ad started sprinkling them around the circle of trees, Small Witch joined her.

"Take this time to say your goodbyes," Jack said, "we will be leaving very shortly."

Jack walked away to talk with Sally and the two ghosts, leaving Lock, Shock, and Barrel alone to talk. Barrel just looked at the floor, but he looked as though he had a lot on his mind. Lock wanted to speak up, but the silence was too hard to break. Thankfully Shock spoke up first.

"We're going to have to do this," Shock said quietly, "I looked at every possible angle, and there isn't any way out of this except to go through with it. There's nowhere we can run. We have to stop being bad for one year. That's it. Then we can come back and this will never happen again. We… I can't lose you guys."

Shock looked like she was going to cry again, so Lock quickly spoke up, "Shock, I… I want you to have something." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver locket on a long chain. Shock gave out a little gasp as he put it around her neck.

"Open it," Lock said.

Shock opened the little round locket; more like unfolded it because it pulled out into three separate frames. The frames held a picture of each of them the way they looked now.

"Lock," Shock said, "It's beautiful. But why…,"

"It has a memory spell on it," Lock said, "If you start to forget anything about us or Halloween Town you just open it. If I did the spell right, the memories of this place will come back to you immediately and it will never wear out. J… Just in case, we never…"

"Don't say that!" Shock snapped at him, "We're going to get through this no matter what it takes! Right Barrel? Barrel?"

Barrel just stared at her for a while, and then said, "Shock, could you do something for me?"

Shock was taken by surprised, "What could I do now? The barrier is almost ready and when it is we'll be worlds apart."

"It's just that," Barrel said, "Even though we have no idea were in to Mortal World you're going. Could you, could you…"

"The barrier is ready," Small Witch said to Jack, loud enough for the trio to hear.

"Quickly, what do you want me to do?"Shock whispered.

"Find out what really happened to us," Barrel said quietly, "Find out how we got here, how I…"

Barrel stopped short. Lock and Shock knew he didn't like talking about how people died. Many people in town always thought he was just too sensitive, but Lock and Shock knew that Barrel didn't talk about it because he didn't remember anything that happened to him. He didn't even remember something from when he was alive, not even his name. It was always common for the dead, or in this case half dead, to forget some memories. But he only remembered the word, 'Barrel'.

"I'll try," Shock said, "But let's make sure we see each other again so I could tell you anything I find out."

Barrel smiled, then looked behind Shock to see Jack coming closer to the group. It was time to go, Barrel was first. He and Sally walked over to the Christmas door; just before he stepped inside he turned around and said,

"Bye guys."

He stepped inside the door with Sally and disappeared in a flurry of snow. It was Shock's turn now. She slowly walked around the center tree to find the Mortal World door, a white, plain, normal door. Shock stepped closer to the door and opened it. It wasn't like the other doors; a long stone corridor went far into the tree.

"Goodbye Lock," Shock said without tuning around.

"Goodbye Shock," Lock said quietly.

She stepped inside the tree and began walking down the corridor; Jack followed her along with the two ghosts. Lock was glad she didn't look back, because for the first time in a long time, he stared crying.

Poor guys. I am such a good writer. I think.

The door closed behind the group and they walked through the darkness. After a short while a strange wind began to blow. Shock's locket started rattling, when Shock reached her hand up to it she found out it was open. She quickly closed it, and then the wind died suddenly. The party didn't think much about it and continued walking. Soon the corridor became narrower; Shock soon felt steps under her feet. They came too a small stone doors, when Shock pushed them open a cold mist surrounded her, she could see the sun rising somewhere. When she got out and looked around she saw that she was in a very small graveyard. The fog was heavy but she saw that it was quickly disappearing.

"We have to make this fast," Jack said, "this fog won't last forever and I don't want to scare anyone ahead of schedule. I'd never hear the end of it from the mayor."

Outside the small graveyard was a road, beyond that was a large park. Down the left side of the road were suburban homes; down the right was a forest. Jack led Shock and the two ghosts down the road and into the forest. They weren't walking for very long when they reached an old house. The house itself was large, Victorian-styled, and very run down. It had a huge porch that ran all the way around the house, there were plots for gardens but whatever had been planted there was long gone.

"This is where you will live for now," Jack explained, "Everything you need will be inside the house; furniture, food, mortal clothes. You have a weekend to rest and get used to the world. But come Monday, you're going to school."

"What!" Shock yelled.

"There's no way around it Shock, you have to fit in as much as possible in this world. You will find enchanted books in the house that will teach you everything you need to know; you will also find a rather large amount of make-up and body paint in the basement. I don't know why, but mortals have a problem with green skin."

The comment made Shock take a look at her pale green hand. What was wrong with green skin? For the fist time she seemed to notice the ghosts,

"What are they here for?" Shock asked

"They are here because this is their house," Jack explained, "They often come here to haunt it and agreed to let you live here. They will also act as your parents should you need them. But their physical forms are limited, so do your best to avoid them having to meet other people. They died a long time ago but the older citizens of this small town might recognize them, so get your story straight. They will also help with keeping an eye on you while you're here."

The two ghosts floated into the house. The house automatically less condemned, still old, but at least it didn't look like it would cave in at any time. The dried-out bushes looked a little livelier and the porch seemed to sweep itself. Jack noticed the rising sun and turned to leave, then spurred around and said,

"Shock, there is a vital piece of information you should know. No one here must ever learn of Halloween Town."

"I kind of figured that," Shock replied.

"It's not just that," Jack continued, "You know as well as I that Halloween Town is more than just a holiday world. It is a place between the Mortal World and the Realm of the Dead. A mortal being must never learn the knowledge that comes from there, because it is strictly…"

"For the dead," Shock finished.

"Yes," Jack replied, "And this knowledge will do anything to make sure that it stays with the dead, so watch that locket of yours."

"How did you?"Shock said horrified.

"When you have to be ready for any sudden Oogie attack," Jack said proudly, "you find yourself with a keen sense of hearing."

He turned and quickly strode away. Shock stood on the porch of her new house, clutching the locket in her hands.

"_Don't worry Lock," _Shock thought to herself_, "nothing is going to happen."_

Or will it? Heh, Heh. I personally like this chapter, but nooo one really cares about what I think. :P Anyway, what do you think about Jack's vocabulary? Is it too 'old person' because I can change that in the next chapters. Still with no foul language, so don't bother asking. The next chapters are when things should get interesting.

Kevin walked through the park, finally Halloween was over. The park was littered with candy wrappers, confetti, silly string, and a few trees were covered in toilet paper. _"I hate Halloween,"_ he thought to himself. At least now people could take down the decorations and move on for another year. After walking for a little more he noticed someone walking toward him. She had long, straight, and black hair; she was tall, pale skinned, and wore a purple T- Shirt, black jeans, and black sneakers. One hand was around some sort of necklace she was wearing and was mumbling to herself. They walked right past each other. A cold shiver went down Kevin's spine. He walked a short distance then turned around to see if she was looking. She wasn't, she had stopped and was sitting on a bench with her back to him. From what he could see, she was still holding the necklace in her hand.

The girl suddenly stood up and started picking up all the trash in her sight. As soon as her hands were full she dumped the trash in the trash can and started picking up more. It was the strangest thing Kevin had ever seen. After the girl was done with the trash and the silly string, she started climbing trees to remove the toilet paper. After a few more moments of awkward staring he turned to leave. Who was she? The town was pretty small and he hadn't seen her before. Oh well, she was about his age; she'd have to go to school eventually.

And he was right. Two days later he was walking to school and ahead of him was the same girl from the park. She was still clutching the locket and was still mumbling. This time he could hear her.

"One year, that's it," the girl mumbled, "I can make it that far. All I need to do is not get in trouble and everything will be fine."

The girl continued to mumble like that until they reached the Junior High School. Kevin then lost sight of her in the courtyard amongst all the other students sharing what they did on Halloween. He didn't see her again until second period where the teacher introduced her,

"Class, we have a new student joining us. This is Samantha Shelton; she moved here from far away and won't be staying that long. Despite that, I want you all to do your best to make her time here welcome. Do you want to say anything to the class Samantha?"

Samantha's eyes seemed to scan ever face in the room in a matter if seconds, then she said, "Just call me Sam."

"Okay Sam, why don't you take the seat in the back over there?"

The teacher pointed at the seat directly next to Kevin's. Kevin noticed that the other kids shuddered a little bit as she walked past, and as she came closer he knew why. He felt the same chill run down his spine like the day in the park. Sam was in almost every class Kevin was in, but he didn't really get a chance to talk to her until lunch. She was sitting in an empty table in the corner of the outdoor cafeteria, which was Kevin's usual spot. After introducing himself he asked,

"So where _are_ you from anyway?" Kevin asked.

"Upstate," Sam said immediately, "I'll be moving back in about a year."

"Why?"

"Well," Shock started, "I know this sounds stupid and unbelievable, but there was a fire and half my house was destroyed. My dad use to live in this town so he decided that this would be a cool place to live while our house is being repaired."

"Where are you staying?" Kevin asked, "I don't know any houses that were for sale and the nearest motel is in the next town."

"My parents found that old house in the woods was for sale," Sam explained, "and once my mom found out how run down it was she had to jump at it. If there's one thing my mom loves is fixing things. She says that it would make a good vacation house when she was done with it."

"You're staying at the Hastings house? What are you some kind of freak?"

Sam turned around to see a girl standing behind her. She was medium-height, blonde haired, by the way she dressed she was a girly-girl, obviously popular because of the two other girls dressed like her and most likely served as her clique.

"What's so wrong with a house in the woods?" Sam said smugly, predicting every response that the snooty girl might come up with.

"Eeew! How about everything? The woods are creepy, there's a graveyard down the road, there's a bog not far away, and the house is crawling with ghosts!"

"Really," Sam sounding intrigued, "No wonder the house was so cheap. Oh well, guess my mom has to rethink her plans for the house. We don't want the ghosts getting upset do we?"

"What kind of weirdo are you?"

"Lay off Belinda," Kevin said, "Just because you don't have the guts to stay in a haunted house doesn't make Sam a weirdo."

"Look who's talking," Belinda sneered, "you don't even have the guts to stay out after dark. You barely have the guts to talk to people anymore."

Kevin gave her a hateful look; Belinda laughed with her clique and walked away. Sam watched her go, somebody wasn't very nice. She turned to Kevin. He was staring at the floor, that comment must have hurt him. After thinking about it for a while she decided not to ask what Belinda had meant. Something told her that she would find out eventually.

Instead she said, "If you need any comebacks for her, you should know that in Latin Belinda means 'beautiful snake'."

Kevin smiled, "Thanks."

What Sam didn't know was how important asking might have been. Maybe knowing might have helped when Sam went through the obituaries over the next few months.

**Author's Note:**

Why is Kevin afraid of the dark? What would he know that would help Sam, (which is Shock in case anyone didn't catch on), find out what happened to Barrel? What will I do to Belinda, the personification of the person I would hate most in the world? Read the next chapter of course! ;)

P.S. I don't hate blondes, just girly girls.


	3. A New Home

The door closed behind the group and they walked through the darkness. After a short while a strange wind began to blow. Shock's locket started rattling, when Shock reached her hand up to it she found out it was open. She quickly closed it, and then the wind died suddenly. The party didn't think much about it and continued walking. Soon the corridor became narrower; Shock soon felt steps under her feet. They came too a small stone doors, when Shock pushed them open a cold mist surrounded her, she could see the sun rising somewhere. When she got out and looked around she saw that she was in a very small graveyard. The fog was heavy but she saw that it was quickly disappearing.

"We have to make this fast," Jack said, "this fog won't last forever and I don't want to scare anyone ahead of schedule. I'd never hear the end of it from the mayor."

Outside the small graveyard was a road, beyond that was a large park. Down the left side of the road were suburban homes; down the right was a forest. Jack led Shock and the two ghosts down the road and into the forest. They weren't walking for very long when they reached an old house. The house itself was large, Victorian-styled, and very run down. It had a huge porch that ran all the way around the house, there were plots for gardens but whatever had been planted there was long gone.

"This is where you will live for now," Jack explained, "Everything you need will be inside the house; furniture, food, mortal clothes. You have a weekend to rest and get used to the world. But come Monday, you're going to school."

"What!" Shock yelled.

"There's no way around it Shock, you have to fit in as much as possible in this world. You will find enchanted books in the house that will teach you everything you need to know; you will also find a rather large amount of make-up and body paint in the basement. I don't know why, but mortals have a problem with green skin."

The comment made Shock take a look at her pale green hand. What was wrong with green skin? For the fist time she seemed to notice the ghosts,

"What are they here for?" Shock asked

"They are here because this is their house," Jack explained, "They often come here to haunt it and agreed to let you live here. They will also act as your parents should you need them. But their physical forms are limited, so do your best to avoid them having to meet other people. They died a long time ago but the older citizens of this small town might recognize them, so get your story straight. They will also help with keeping an eye on you while you're here."

The two ghosts floated into the house. The house automatically less condemned, still old, but at least it didn't look like it would cave in at any time. The dried-out bushes looked a little livelier and the porch seemed to sweep itself. Jack noticed the rising sun and turned to leave, then spurred around and said,

"Shock, there is a vital piece of information you should know. No one here must ever learn of Halloween Town."

"I kind of figured that," Shock replied.

"It's not just that," Jack continued, "You know as well as I that Halloween Town is more than just a holiday world. It is a place between the Mortal World and the Realm of the Dead. A mortal being must never learn the knowledge that comes from there, because it is strictly…"

"For the dead," Shock finished.

"Yes," Jack replied, "And this knowledge will do anything to make sure that it stays with the dead, so watch that locket of yours."

"How did you?"Shock said horrified.

"When you have to be ready for any sudden Oogie attack," Jack said proudly, "you find yourself with a keen sense of hearing."

He turned and quickly strode away. Shock stood on the porch of her new house, clutching the locket in her hands.

"_Don't worry Lock," _Shock thought to herself_, "nothing is going to happen."_

**Author's Note**

Or will it? Heh, Heh. I personally like this chapter, but nooo one really cares about what I think. :P Anyway, what do you think about Jack's vocabulary? Is it too 'old person' because I can change that in the next chapters. Still with no foul language, so don't bother asking. The next chapters are when things should get interesting.


	4. A New Friend

Kevin walked through the park, finally Halloween was over. The park was littered with candy wrappers, confetti, silly string, and a few trees were covered in toilet paper. _"I hate Halloween,"_ he thought to himself. At least now people could take down the decorations and move on for another year. After walking for a little more he noticed someone walking toward him. She had long, straight, and black hair; she was tall, pale skinned, and wore a purple T- Shirt, black jeans, and black sneakers. One hand was around some sort of necklace she was wearing and was mumbling to herself. They walked right past each other. A cold shiver went down Kevin's spine. He walked a short distance then turned around to see if she was looking. She wasn't, she had stopped and was sitting on a bench with her back to him. From what he could see, she was still holding the necklace in her hand.

The girl suddenly stood up and started picking up all the trash in her sight. As soon as her hands were full she dumped the trash in the trash can and started picking up more. It was the strangest thing Kevin had ever seen. After the girl was done with the trash and the silly string, she started climbing trees to remove the toilet paper. After a few more moments of awkward staring he turned to leave. Who was she? The town was pretty small and he hadn't seen her before. Oh well, she was about his age; she'd have to go to school eventually.

And he was right. Two days later he was walking to school and ahead of him was the same girl from the park. She was still clutching the locket and was still mumbling. This time he could hear her.

"One year, that's it," the girl mumbled, "I can make it that far. All I need to do is not get in trouble and everything will be fine."

The girl continued to mumble like that until they reached the Junior High School. Kevin then lost sight of her in the courtyard amongst all the other students sharing what they did on Halloween. He didn't see her again until second period where the teacher introduced her,

"Class, we have a new student joining us. This is Samantha Shelton; she moved here from far away and won't be staying that long. Despite that, I want you all to do your best to make her time here welcome. Do you want to say anything to the class Samantha?"

Samantha's eyes seemed to scan ever face in the room in a matter if seconds, then she said, "Just call me Sam."

"Okay Sam, why don't you take the seat in the back over there?"

The teacher pointed at the seat directly next to Kevin's. Kevin noticed that the other kids shuddered a little bit as she walked past, and as she came closer he knew why. He felt the same chill run down his spine like the day in the park. Sam was in almost every class Kevin was in, but he didn't really get a chance to talk to her until lunch. She was sitting in an empty table in the corner of the outdoor cafeteria, which was Kevin's usual spot. After introducing himself he asked,

"So where _are_ you from anyway?" Kevin asked.

"Upstate," Sam said immediately, "I'll be moving back in about a year."

"Why?"

"Well," Shock started, "I know this sounds stupid and unbelievable, but there was a fire and half my house was destroyed. My dad use to live in this town so he decided that this would be a cool place to live while our house is being repaired."

"Where are you staying?" Kevin asked, "I don't know any houses that were for sale and the nearest motel is in the next town."

"My parents found that old house in the woods was for sale," Sam explained, "and once my mom found out how run down it was she had to jump at it. If there's one thing my mom loves is fixing things. She says that it would make a good vacation house when she was done with it."

"You're staying at the Hastings house? What are you some kind of freak?"

Sam turned around to see a girl standing behind her. She was medium-height, blonde haired, by the way she dressed she was a girly-girl, obviously popular because of the two other girls dressed like her and most likely served as her clique.

"What's so wrong with a house in the woods?" Sam said smugly, predicting every response that the snooty girl might come up with.

"Eeew! How about everything? The woods are creepy, there's a graveyard down the road, there's a bog not far away, and the house is crawling with ghosts!"

"Really," Sam sounding intrigued, "No wonder the house was so cheap. Oh well, guess my mom has to rethink her plans for the house. We don't want the ghosts getting upset do we?"

"What kind of weirdo are you?"

"Lay off Belinda," Kevin said, "Just because you don't have the guts to stay in a haunted house doesn't make Sam a weirdo."

"Look who's talking," Belinda sneered, "you don't even have the guts to stay out after dark. You barely have the guts to talk to people anymore."

Kevin gave her a hateful look; Belinda laughed with her clique and walked away. Sam watched her go, somebody wasn't very nice. She turned to Kevin. He was staring at the floor, that comment must have hurt him. After thinking about it for a while she decided not to ask what Belinda had meant. Something told her that she would find out eventually.

Instead she said, "If you need any comebacks for her, you should know that in Latin Belinda means 'beautiful snake'."

Kevin smiled, "Thanks."

What Sam didn't know was how important asking might have been. Maybe knowing might have helped when Sam went through the obituaries over the next few months.

**Author's Note:**

Why is Kevin afraid of the dark? What would he know that would help Sam, (which is Shock in case anyone didn't catch on), find out what happened to Barrel? What will I do to Belinda, the personification of the person I would hate most in the world? Read the next chapter of course! ;)

P.S. I don't hate blondes, just girly girls.


	5. Almost Over, But Not Quite

Sam stood outside Kevin's house waiting for him to come home. The day was eerily gray, cloudy, low lying mist, a perfect day for Sam. While she was waiting she started daydreaming,

"Just three days," She thought, "then all of this is over, everything will go back to normal." She paused then laughed at the irony of what she just thought, "What is normal anyway?"

"What's so funny?" Kevin said as he walked up leash in hand, at the end of the leash was the smallest, most pathetic Chihuahua Sam had ever seen. It immediately began yapping like mad when they got near Sam, as always. After Kevin put the dog inside of the house he started walking with Sam to school.

"I'll never understand why Hercules hates you so much, usually he just hides in a corner when guests arrive," Kevin said.

"Why did your grandma get him anyway? You're the one who feeds, bathes, and walks it in the morning."

"Exactly, that leaves all the time to play with him to her," Kevin responded, "Hey; you didn't answer my question to why you were laughing."

"Oh it's just that, well, my parents told me today that we could be ready to go home in a few days."

"Oh," Kevin said sadly, "I almost forgot about that. When will you be leaving?"

"On Halloween, one year exactly from when we came, which means I won't be able to go to the Halloween dance that we will expertly decorate."

"More like you," Kevin said changing the subject, "It's your designs, your supplies, and your planning skills. I just paste things together and tape them on the wall. Why do you insist on sharing the glory?"

"Be cause if I tell the principle 'we' did it, then we both get the credit. And if something were to go terribly wrong, both of us get blamed," Sam joked.

"Right, but what about the credit you get with the can food drive and the toy collection? You made hand sewn teddy bears for kids in third world countries, made Christmas cards for soldiers at war and for lonely elderly people, and you clean up the park every other week. You babysit on Fridays to raise money for fundraisers, you volunteer at the hospital on Saturday, on Sunday you work at the church market and the nursing home, you _ran_ four miles for the _Jog_-o-Thon fundraiser, and bake cookies for kindergarteners on someone's birthday."

"Will you be reaching a point anytime soon?"

"What I'm trying to say is," Kevin continued, "You do all these amazing things, you work yourself to death, for what? I understand they're all good deeds and you might get a lot of 'thank you's from people and I would love to see what your résumé looks like. But when are you going to step back and enjoy some time for yourself?"

"Oh, I'm going to relax for the rest of my life as soon as I get home," Sam sighed.

"What's the difference between here and your old home anyway?" Kevin asked.

Sam unconsciously reached for her locket, and then said, "For starters I left behind two great friends, we grew up together, we were always there for each other, and I can't say I'm home until I see them again. And if our house is repaired we can go back, but if those building inspectors don't pass it, I'm never going to see them again."

"So how is working yourself to the bone helping you get back home?"

"Karma my dear Kevin, karma, may good deeds be paid off Halloween night."

The two continued walking for a while, "I hate Halloween."

"Oh come on Kevin, don't be like that. Halloween is great! And you have to promise me you will enjoy yourself at the dance for me."

"Sam, I can't, I just can't," Kevin said sullenly.

They were silent for a long time before Sam asked, "Kevin, how did your parents die?"

There it was, the question they had avoided for almost a year. Kevin knew he would have to answer it sooner or later, "Car crash, on Halloween night."

"I'm sorry," Sam said.

Sam could have found that out in the obituaries, but she decided that Kevin would tell her eventually. That reminded her that she still didn't find the obituary she was looking for and didn't have much more time left to look. They finally arrived at the high school, early of course. They usually would have stood outside the library and talked with each other, but there was tension in the air after Sam's question. Sam decided to go into the library and sign them up for the decoration committee, and to check the online obituaries again.

The library was mostly deserted and the librarian was busy in her office again. Sam decided she would sign up later and check the obituaries now while no one was around. When she got to the home page she searched every name that died on Halloween night eight years ago. Nothing matched. By the way Barrel looked when they met he couldn't have been murdered with a weapon, or died in a fire. The possibilities were drowning, poisoning, hypothermia, heart attack, being hit by a car without outside injuries, or possibly choking. Anything could have happened. In the year she has been here she found the obituaries of half of Halloween Town but found nothing on Barrel. Sam even found both Lock's and her own obituary. It was just like they remembered. She continued browsing until she came across the only unchecked obituary, Kevin's parents. Sam didn't want to look at it. Kevin just told her that they died in a car crash. Still something seemed strange when he told her that, like he was still holding something back.

Before she could decide, Sam had the overwhelming sense that she was being watched. When you grow up in a place like Halloween Town, this sense becomes very sharp. Whatever was watching her was close, very close. Sam calmly exited the website and pretended to browse the nearest bookshelf. She started trying to pin-point whoever was watching her. She pretended to browse toward the larger bookshelves, the feeling got stronger as she got closer.

"Shock?"

It took all of Shock's might not to spin around and scream. Instead she calmly turned her head to see a thin, six- foot, one-eyed, mummy staring at her. Shock couldn't tell if her slow beating heart had skipped a beat or not.

"Tut what are you doing here?!" Shock screamed through her teeth.

"I thought you could tell me," Tut sighed, "I've been here all night. Good thing I recognized you. Surprising how locked up this place is."

"Quiet," Shock hissed, "do you want the mortals to hear you? How did you get here?"

"I don't know, last night I was returning a book to the Doctor and when I put it on the bookshelf I looked around and saw I was here in the Mortal World. Do you know how to get back?"

"Wait here," Shock whispered. She pretended to browse to a bookshelf near the window. The sun was starting to come out and the mist was pretty much gone. Shock pretended to browse back to Tut. "We can't go back yet, everyone will see you. Wait, can you still do that folding trick like you use too?"

"Yeah, why?" Tut asked.

Shock was already unloading her large sketchbook and her binder from her backpack, "Get in. We can't risk you leaving or the librarian finding you. I can carry my binder but my sketches are going to have to stay here." Tut started folding his thin body and limbs to fit in the backpack and Shock put her sketches on a high shelf where no one would notice them. Once Tut was snugly inside the backpack she said, "You're going to have to stay in there until schools out. Then I can take you to the door."

Shock walked calmly out of the library to get to her first class early. What she didn't know was that her sense of being watched was fogged by her anger. Belinda had heard everything, she hadn't seen who Sam was talking to, but who or what could fit in her backpack? She walked over to the place Sam was standing. A strange musty smell hung in the air, eeew. She looked on the top shelf for Sam's sketch book. When Belinda carried it back to the reading tables she was joined by Christina and Stephanie.

"Guess what I found," Belinda said in a sing-song voice.

**Author's Note:**

To be continued in the next chapter, the more comments the quicker it comes up!


	6. Sketches

"Is that Saint Sam's sketch book?" Stephanie asked, "How did you get a hold of that? She never puts it down."

"She was talking to someone in the bookshelves, the freak, and then she said she would keep something in her backpack and leaves the sketches here; must have been important."

"Well, open it already," Christina suggested, "Let's see what's running through her saint head."

"Go ahead," Belinda said, "I wanna see what she was doing on the computer. Let's see, recently visited site, and… guys, you should see this."

"Same with us," They said in unison, Christina then added "All these pictures are creepy. Really good, but creepy. I guess she's really into Halloween. And into this guy she keeps drawing, he's kind of cute."

"He'd be cuter if she's stop drawing him in that white make-up and devil costume. She even drew herself as a witch," Stephanie commented, "Oooh I like the other one, the one dressed like a skeleton. Aww, she drew that make-up on him too."

"Guys! You have to see this now!" Belinda growled at them, "Sam was using the obituaries website. Watch, its search engine is filled with names." Belinda scrolled through the searched names. She searched the most recent name, "Laurence Simon, age eight, missing October 31st eight years ago, last seen at home in Eastvale, believed to have run away, age fourteen now, click to see computer aged image."

"What's that?" Christina asked.

"It's a picture of what he would look like now if he's still alive," Stephanie answered.

"Then what's this doing on an obituary website?" Christina asked

"Maybe they really think he's dead but just can't find his body, and are doing this just in case," Stephanie answered.

"If you guys are done," Belinda interrupted, "the image is done uploading; hmm, pretty good looking for a dead guy. Why are you guys staring like that?"

"That's the same guy in the sketches B.," Christina said shakily, "See? That guy in the devil costume."

They were right; the sketch book was filled with drawings with the older Laurence in them. Laurence having his arm around a crying Sam with the skeleton kid curled up in a cot, Laurence and the other two walking in the woods, and one was Laurence giving Sam a silver locket.

"Look," Belinda said, "that's the locket Sam's always wearing."

"Why would Saint Sam draw a dead guy giving her a necklace she wears all the time?" Stephanie said, "Ok, who else is officially freaked out?"

"I am," Christina said, "I wouldn't take presents from dead guys. Not even really cute ones."

"Maybe 'Saint Sam' isn't as saintly as she looks;" Belinda said seriously, "Maybe this guy isn't dead. Maybe she knows where he is and is checking to see if they think he's still dead."

"Where would you keep a guy who's supposed to be dead for eight years?"

"How about in a spooky house in the woods that's only one town away and hasn't been lived in for years, Sam must have found him living in her new house and hid him from her parents. What I don't get is who this skeleton guy is. He looks kind of familiar. Maybe the sketchbook will tell us."

The book had drawings of some storybook fantasy of Sam's. Monsters, full moons, graveyards, ghosts, a distorted hill, and all kinds of creepy Halloween stuff. Laurence was often drawn alone with Sam. The skeleton was shown many times but names were never given. While her friends went through the book, Belinda began checking the names on the website again. The people were all different but they had one thing in common, they all died on Halloween. There was just one last name to check but before she could read it Stephanie said,

"I've seen this before. It's in that graveyard near the woods. The pretty angel statue in the middle. But the book epitaph is opened up; I didn't know it could do that."

"That's what Sam was talking about with that person just now! Maybe that's where Sam's and the other guy are hiding him, a secret catacomb no one knows about."

The bell rang and all the kids outside started to go to their classes. Belinda stuffed the sketchbook into her backpack and went to her class. Sam was so dead.

**Author's Note:**

Belinda is on to Shock, will she find out the truth? Will that truth kill her? What will Sam do with Tut? What will Belinda do to Sam? What will I do to Belinda? ;) Click into the next chapter of _Separated_. P.S.: That last pun was intended. Deal with it!


	7. A Close Call

"Hold on Tut we're almost there," Sam said quietly to the mummy in her backpack. She had just left Kevin at the usual corner and started walking down the road to the graveyard.

"You didn't tell me Mortal school was so boring," Tut complained, "Things don't explode or mutate in Chemistry, History is filled with government campaigns, the dodge balls in P.E. don't try to eat you, and what exactly was in the Sloppy Joe at the cafeteria? Because I'm pretty sure it wasn't meat."

"Same here," Shock agreed, "The sooner I get back home the better. How are things on the other side?"

"Hiding the real question are we?" Tut giggled.

"What are you talking about?" Shock said.

"What you really want to ask is 'how is Lock doing?'"

Shock blushed, "Is it that obvious?"

"Kind of," Tut answered, "Lock really misses you ya'know."

"Really?" Shock answered, thinking of how much she missed him.

"Yeah, he was really depressed at first. He hasn't talked much since you left. Then he threw himself into the reconstruction plans, he was always working on something. I remember for the longest time I woke up to the sounds of Lock hammering away at something. Then it was putting back the tombstones because the ghosts get upset when it wasn't exactly like it was before. Who knew the ghosts talked so much? And then…"

"I get it, he's been working really hard," Shock interrupted.

"I hear you have been too. Volunteering at animals shelters lately?"

"Hospitals, nursing homes, and church sales. For the record animals hate me."

"That's because they can smell death," Tut said, "Being half dead is just not natural in this realm. They feel threatened."

"I guess any one would. Any word on Barrel?" Shock asked.

"Yup, he works in the elf factory kitchen. It must be going well because he has gained three pounds."

"I thought as much," Shock laughed, "We're here."

They had reached the graveyard, Shock looked around to make sure that no one was watching and unloaded Tut. While he was unfolding himself Shock took a look at the angel statue. Holding an open book and looking upwards. She remembered the drawing she made of the statue in her sketch book. Shock walked up to the epitaph which was on the pages of the door,

"Death is a path in which souls walk through the worlds," She read out loud. She tried to touch the door but it burned her, "I'm not sure the portal will let you through, the field might just work on me."

Tut walked over to the door and it opened it easily, "I just walk in and I'll be there?"

"You have to walk for a little longer than that, you'll come out in the graveyard just outside of town."

"Okay, I'll tell Lock you said hi," Tut said as he walked in the door and closed it behind him.

Shock stared at the door for a while, three days. Then it was her turn to go home. When she turned to leave she sensed someone coming. It was Belinda and her friends, headed straight for the graveyard. Shock hid behind the larger tombstones in the back corner of the graveyard. Belinda and her clique entered the graveyard staring at the book epitaph. Did they know it was a door? Did they see Tut?

"It's supposed to open right here," Belinda said, "Here hold the sketchbook."

"_They found my sketchbook!"_ Shock screamed in her head.

Shock had to think fast, she concentrated on a spot behind the graveyard gate.

"_Come on, in graveyard close to Halloween. There has to be some magic here."_

Within an instant she had teleported herself behind the three girls. After a moment to think about what she was going to do she said,

"What are you doing?" Shock asked them as Belinda was about to touch the door.

Belinda spun around and faced Sam, "Oh nothing, I just wanted to see what was behind the secret door."

Shock pretended to look around, "I don't see any secret doors anywhere. Well playing in the graveyard is ok as long as you don't deface the graves. It's both disrespectful and bad luck."

"Don't play innocent Saint Sam. What are you doing drawing pictures with you and dead guy?" Belinda sneered holding the sketchbook up, "Or is he really dead? What's behind that door Sam?"

Sam stared at her like she was crazy, "What door? What dead guy? Belinda, are you feeling ok?"

"Oh I feel fine Sam, how is Laurence doing?"

"Who?"

"Him!" Belinda screamed tossing the open sketchbook to Shock.

Shock stared at the open sketchbook. She flipped a few pages. She closed the book and calmly said, "Belinda, there isn't anything in this sketchbook."

"What! Give me that!" Belinda yelled as she took the book from Shocks hands. Belinda frantically flipped through the pages. All of them were blank; no signs of the drawings were left. "But they were here! All those creepy pictures you drew of Laurence." She started stammering on about the pictures and Shock was trying to calm her down.

"Belinda, there is nothing in that book. There aren't any dead guys or secret doors. My real sketchbook is at home. Did you have any Sloppy Joe or any other strange food recently?" Shock asked.

"I am not sick!" Belinda yelled, "I am freaked out!"

Shock turned to Christina and Stephanie, "You better take her home. Make sure she has a lot of water to drink, stays out of the sun, and her parents know what's happened today."

Stephanie and Christina looked really confused but obediently pulled Belinda out of the graveyard. Once they were gone Shock took a deep breath, "_that was way too close_." She jumped as heard a creaking noise behind her. When she spun around she saw Tut looking through the doorway.

"What am I still doing here?" Tut asked himself.

**Author's Note:**

What _is_ Tut still doing here? Is there something wrong with the doors? Will Shock ever get home? Will Belinda still try to expose Shock? Will I stop asking you questions? Never! Click into the next chapter of _Separated_.


	8. Conversation

"… and that's what happened. Tut says he walked through the door and without turning around came back to the same door," Shock concluded. She had taken Tut home and just finished explaining what happened to Dana and John, the two ghosts who lived with her. Shock and Tut were at the kitchen table with the two ghosts floating nearby.

"Very troubling," Dana said in her whispery voice, "we shall tell Jack and the Doctor of this strange happening. While we are gone, I suggest you keep a close eye on this Belinda girl."

With that the two ghosts swirled around and were gone. Shock showed Tut his room before going up to hers. The only furniture in her small room was her bed, desk, and a mirror. On the desk were various scattered papers, when she went to pick them up she found that they were her drawings.

"_So that's where I teleported them to_," Sam thought, "_I guess I have to rewrite my history report."_

She was really glad to see her drawings again, even though they almost exposed the door to Halloween Town. Shock had really gotten good at drawing since she left, before it was always just crude blueprints but now they were works of art. Not all of them had shown up on her homework though, that meant there were still a few out there for Belinda to get her claws into. She was going to have to be careful. Stupid world, if this world had had more magic in it they could have been transported correctly. Shock sighed and started thinking how Belinda had found out Lock's real name.

"_The website,"_ Shock thought, _"They found it and searched the names."_

This was really bad; Shock had searched her own name on that website. Since Belinda didn't bring it up Shock guessed she didn't know. She started hatching a plan to get rid of the website and the names she entered in them. All she needed was her cute face and her innocent voice. Which reminded her, her makeup needed a touch up. She reached for the little flap under her ear and pulled all the makeup on her face off at once. She did the same with her arms by pulling off makeup gloves. Her naturally pale green skin could breathe again. She put the face mask on a mannequin head she kept in a closet and pulled out the makeup she kept in her drawer. She started applying makeup to the fake face and gloves. The mask and gloves kept her from spending hours every morning trying to cover ever inch of her face with makeup. It was so hard being her.

The next morning Shock was speaking to the librarian when Belinda and her clique walked in. The librarian returned to her work and Shock turned to Belinda.

"Hello Belinda," Shock said in her nicest voice, "Are you felling better today?"

"I do Sam," Belinda said in an equally fake nice voice, "But you still haven't answered my question from yesterday. How is Laurence doing?"

"And I ask again, who?"

"Maybe a certain website will answer my question, ?" Belinda walked towards the computer. But when she tried to open the site, the computer wouldn't let her. "What?"

"Oh, you were trying to get to _that_ website," Shock said innocently, "I'm sorry; I had the librarian block it today. Someone was using it a lot, and since the library dose double as a public library, I didn't want any little kids to find it. You now have to show an I.D. to use it."

"Liar," Belinda hissed, "You just covered your tracks. You didn't want anyone to find out what you're up to."

"Belinda, I can honestly say that I have no idea what you mean."

"So that's how you're going to play," Belinda sneered, "Fine, but whatever you're up to Saint Sam, I'm going to find out." With that Belinda stormed out of the library followed by her clique.

"_I'm really getting tired of that nickname."_ Another close one, Shock looked at the computer Belinda had abandoned, the site was gone. "_I'm sorry Barrel," _Shock thought holding her locket, "_I tried. But we can't risk it, not when we're so close. Wait, maybe there's still a chance."_

**********

"Tell me again. Why do you need to check out the obituaries website on my computer?" Kevin asked Sam.

The two were in Kevin's attic bedroom, Sam searching on Kevin's computer and Kevin was doing homework on his bed nearby. Sam has been up here a million times before but had never asked to use his computer.

"It's top secret, if you knew…" Sam said.

"You'd have to kill me?"

"I wouldn't be the one who kills you," She said seriously, then joked, "I'd have to hire someone."

"Like Belinda?"

They laughed and Sam went back to searching. She recognized some of the names she searched before but had to otherwise start from scratch. She had noticed that the other citizens of Halloween Town died within a close area of the door. But there were exceptions, Jack, Sally, and the Harlequin monster just to name three. Sam narrowed the search to the surrounding towns, still nothing. She came across Kevin's parents again. She wondered, but decided not to look at it, there was no chance.

Belinda was alone in her room; the entire bedroom screamed "my favorite color is pink" because not one inch of it was another color. The only thing piercing the over cheeriness of the room was Belinda lying in her bed in her most dangerous mood; mad. Sam had showed her up in front of her friends, made her parents believe she was going crazy, and was doing something underhanded that no one will hear about. Sam was dangerous, and Belinda was the one who would have to expose her. She would have to find out what was behind that door in the graveyard, it was the only lead she had. Belinda had already told the police, with disastrous results. She needed hard evidence before she could prove anything. Like those pictures; Sam did something to them, she had made them disappear and hid them somewhere. Within two minutes Belinda had already devised a plan, she was paying a visit to the Hastings House tomorrow. She was going to find out what Sam was up to if it killed her.

Belinda walked the shadowy path towards the Hastings House. Another day of faking sick got her out of school again. She had seen Sam walk down the road to the school, a blueprint sticking out of her backpack that was possibly the design for the Halloween dance. Sam had often told the teachers that her parents were always working or out of town to go to any school events; leaving the house almost positively empty. All she had to do was throw a big rock at the window and take a few things when she was inside to make her snooping around look like a robbery. Belinda needed were some pictures of Laurence that Sam drew and it would be all the proof she needed to lead the police to her door.

Belinda's scheming was interrupted by a piercing howl from behind her. Belinda spun around. She couldn't see it yet, but all you had to do was listen to the thunder of giant paws to know that something big was headed straight for you. Belinda broke into a run, the house was not to far away and she had to get some distance between her and whatever was behind her. The house was coming closer; if Belinda wasn't running for her life she would have noticed that there was a large herb garden. But she was running for her life, so she tore through the herbs and looked for a way into the house. There, under the porch rail, a window to the basement. When Belinda tried it the window creaked outward and Belinda jumped into the basement.

She surprisingly had a soft landing when she dropped into the basement. She didn't have time to wonder why because the thundering paws were slowing down. Belinda was silent as the grave when she heard the sound of giant paws on the wooden porch overhead and, if that wasn't scary enough footsteps. The house wasn't empty, wait, two sets of footprints. Years of fashion experience told Belinda that one was a pair of sneakers. The same type of shoes Sam always wore, she came back with whatever was running in the woods.

Belinda waited. Every minute crept by like an eternity. She listened to the foot steps get closer and then quieter. The set of paws had ceased all together. Belinda heard people talking upstairs. She slowly crept through the basement to the sound of the conversation. Eventually she reached a spot where the whispers were the loudest. From the sound of it Sam was really ticked.

"This can't be happening! First Tut, then Goblin and all of the Quartet Brothers appear last night, and now you? *sigh* what is my beautiful world coming to?

"Don't know," said a coarse deep voice, "I was just doing my nightly run and before I know it I almost run into a car. *whimper* It took all my willpower not to chase it."

"Ugh! Why did this all have to happen now!? I am one day, one day, away from this cursed sentence to be over!" Sam started to sob, "What about the others? They've worked just as hard as I have to get back home. The portal can't break now!"

"Shock, please stop crying, your mask is starting to run."

"Oh, curse this stupid mask! I'm sick of having to wear it every day."

The conversation was cut off by the sound of a breeze running through the room upstairs. Sam stopped crying immediately. As the breeze grew stronger Belinda could feel all of her spine going cold. She would have run if she hadn't been frozen into place by the ominous wind. Two whispery voices began speaking to Sam upstairs.

"Shhock, th-the portal is brreaking too far. Weee grow weeak, weee can't go between much mmore. J-Jack hass a theory, your loocket. It mmiight have taaken a p-piece of the poortall with it. Oopeen the loocket Shhock, oopeen it in the portal."

"M-maake sure yooou are not seen. Iff the girl trries anything, kiill her! Yooou wiill beee paardoned. Juusst keep the sceecrret safe!"

With that the wind ceased and the voices disappeared. It was quiet upstairs for a while before Sam said, "I'm going out, I'll be back by nightfall and we can go repair the portal."

"Will you do it?" said the deep voice, "Will you kill her? You don't look like you would pass up the chance."

There was a pause before Sam answered, "I don't know. So much has happened to me since I came here. But if she threatens my chance of leaving, I wouldn't hesitate a second."

**Author's Note:**

:) Things are getting intense. Let me hear what you think!


	9. Revelations

Belinda heard the screen door slam behind her. She was in way over her head. She needed to get out of all this now. She looked out the little window she came through to see Sam heading down the path towards town. Belinda heard the voices upstairs quiet, now was her chance to escape. She felt around for a stool, made her way out the window, and crept out of the garden towards the safety that was the road. Walking slowly, making sure that she didn't catch up to Sam, or Shock, or whatever her name was. Belinda just wanted to survive the next twenty four hours, so when she heard Sam talking in the forest next to her she stopped dead. She didn't mean to hear anything but heard Sam saying,

"… she must be smarter than she looks. She knew we would change like this. If I had been given a chance to kill someone like Belinda a year ago, I would have enjoyed it. But now, I don't know what changed, I don't want to anymore. *sigh* I wonder how far under you are. I know you were sucked down under this tree that night, but we still don't know how deep under you went. I've been too afraid to look. Could you be six feet under or just an inch under me? Hearing everything I've said to you since I got here a year ago. Hah, I hope not," she was quiet for a while before saying, "What do you think Barrel is doing, Lock? Tut said he's eating everything in sight, as usual."

"_Barrel. Barrel. Barrel!"_ Belinda screamed in her head, _"I…It can't be. He's dead. I saw it myself. He's dead... Sam is dead too."_

Belinda couldn't take it anymore she ran as fast as she could down the road. She ran as hard as she could but before she could reach the town she heard Sam running after her. The graveyard was just a few yards away, her lungs were burning she couldn't run much more, there had to be something there to help her. Stumbling through the gates she ran into the wooden bench in front of the statue. The first wooden bar was loose, just like it was eight years ago. Sam caught up to Belinda to see her bent over the bench, gasping for breath.

"What do you think you were doing spying on me like that?" Sam said in a very calm and even voice.

Belinda heaved for a while before laughing, "You can stop now Shock. I've heard everything. But there is still something I don't understand. How do you know Baron?"

Shock was quiet for a moment, "That's his real name isn't it? He's my best friend where we're from. He told me to find out who he had been before he… well he doesn't know exactly what happened. He doesn't remember anything, nothing but the word Barrel."

Belinda looked up at the statue, "Maybe we aren't so different after all. You see, he was my best friend too. Baron, Kevin, and I were as tight as anyone can be. We did everything together. It mostly was getting food for Baron, ha, he was always hungry. Round as a Barrel and just as empty, we called him that, he hated his real name. Halloween was his favorite holiday of all; he couldn't get enough candy that night. You see his parents were out that night, and his Grandma was in charge of taking us trick-or-treating. But after two blocks she got tired and insisted we go home. Well, none of us liked the idea of cutting Halloween short, so we all went back to Barrel's house and ditched the old bird when she wasn't looking. We must have covered the whole town by the time we reached this little graveyard. We used to hang out here a lot, so we just sat around and divided the candy. It was getting really late and we were all tired, Kevin started to leave and Barrel and I were following, Kevin had walked into the street just outside this graveyard. Before I knew what was happening there was a car coming strait at us. I saw Kevin in the headlights one second, then Barrel running to him, and… and… I screamed."

Belinda began to sob. Even Shock shed a tear for what Barrel had done, "It all makes sense now. Barrel pushed Kevin out of the way, but he didn't die immediately, he was hit hard enough to knock out his memory for at least one second before he died. Enough to hear you scream his name."

"It's all Kevin's fault, if he wasn't in the road. Barrel wouldn't have had to save him, he'd still be here. Kevin is the one who should have died that night, not him."

"That's why you hate him isn't it? Because he died instead of Kevin, that's why you've been putting him down all these years. You think that Kevin wasn't worth being saved by Barrel."

"So what? It won't matter in a couple of minutes will it? You're going to kill me aren't you?"

Shock was silent for a while, and then pulled two bottles from her pocket, "If you did hear everything, then you know I can't. What I have in my hand right now are two potions. One is an instant death, no pain, no evidence. The other is a potion that will make you forget everything. Who you are, where you are, friends, parents everything, especially what you've learned about me. Once you take it I'll escort you home. It's the only way to get out of this, alive."

"Thank you Shock," Belinda said quietly. Then quickly pulled out the wooden bar from the bench and hit Shock over the head with it. Shock fell to the ground. Belinda stepped over her, "But I don't really feel like losing my memory today."

She turned to leave, but then looked back. Shock wasn't going to stay down for long, not when she was already dead. Belinda took the two potions from her hand, catching a glimpse of the silver locket around Shock's neck. The locket that she couldn't be without, that she would do anything to protect. It was her only chance to save herself. Belinda lifted Shock's head and took her little locket. She felt something strange stir inside of it, something dark. Belinda couldn't keep this for long, she had to give it to someone, someone she didn't mind losing. Maybe it was time to visit an old friend.

Shock woke up when someone shook her shoulder. She was lying on the floor of the graveyard. It was night; her head was bleeding from a cut where the bar had hit her. She looked around frantically and saw all the other creatures around her.

"What happened?" Werewolf asked, "You were gone for hours, we thought you had gone without us. I smelled the blood when we came looking"

"It was Belinda, that girl I talked about before. I had offered her the memory eraser potion. I tried to show her mercy and what dose she do? She knocks me unconscious and steals my potions," Sam explained as she got up. Immediately she knew something was wrong, she reached for…, "MY LOCKET!!!!!!!!"

Meanwhile, Belinda was decorating the gymnasium for the Halloween dance. She kept looking over at Kevin, who was half-heartedly taping things to the wall. A few people began to leave and Belinda moved closer to him.

Kevin noticed her, "Go ahead and say it Belinda, I don't care. Give me your best shot."

Belinda put on a somber look, "Kevin, can I just talk to you?"

Kevin turned his back on her, "Why? Need something to laugh at with your friends?"

"Kevin," Belinda said quietly, "I went, there, today."

Kevin dropped the roll of tape in his hand, "That's why you skipped school, to visit where my life ended and you started to hate me."

"Kevin please, just, listen. When, he died… I hated myself so much. I couldn't do anything to help Barrel. I saw him lying there and I didn't accept he was dead. You saw me, I tried to wake him up, and I called for help. When I saw you just staring at him, not doing anything to help, that's when it started. That's why I hated you."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kevin said turning around.

Belinda looked hard at him, "Sam saw me there. Her family was packing today and she was going home. She asked me what was wrong, and when I told her, she called me a jerk for holding it in all these years. Sam said that you suffered enough that night without me bagging on you for the past eight years. That the only way to end all of this was to tell you everything, and hope that you understand."

Everyone was gone by the time she was finished. It was just the two of them. Kevin was quiet for a long time. He moved toward the back door to the gym, then pulled out a mask he had in his sweater, a skeleton mask. "It's getting dark, we need to go home."

Belinda moved next to him, "Then let's go home, all of us, together. Like we should have done eight years ago."

A single tear escaped out of the corner of Kevin's eye, "Then let's go."

"But I want to go home too," a creepy voice said behind the two.

**Author's Note:**

So now you know! :D the more comments I get the sooner the next chapter shows up!


	10. A Deal and a Promise

Belinda and Kevin spun around to see someone in the front doorway, in the shadow, "But look at me Belinda, look at what you did to me."

Sam walked into the light, what Kevin saw made him sick. Her skin was pale green, there was blood in her hair, her eyes were tinted yellow, and black around the sockets. Belinda started to shiver uncontrollably next to him.

Sam started to move closer, "Why did you take my locket Belinda? You knew we needed it, it is the only way to leave; the only way to go back home. We are almost out of time. Give it back to us Belinda, give it back or we will have to take it from you."

"K…Kevin," Belinda said, taking his hand, still shaking, "Don't let them get me Kevin. As soon as they have the locket they're going to kill me."

"Belinda," Kevin responded, "What have you done?"

"You don't want to know Kevin. That's why she's in trouble. She stole the locket and knows things she shouldn't know. I tried to give her a memory potion in the graveyard and she did this to me," Sam said, touching the palm of her hand to her head and showed him her hand with blood on it, "Now the both of you know, and only one memory potion is here right now. You've ruined your chance to live, Belinda, you will be the one to die."

"No!" Kevin shouted throwing his arms out to protect Belinda, "No one's going to die, not again!"

"Oh Kevin," Sam said sadly, "I'm sorry. I know this must be hard for you, but don't worry. She won't feel a thing. Besides once you take the memory eraser, you won't remember a thing about her or me. Please step aside, we don't want you to get hurt, none of us do."

"We? Us? Who are you talking about?" Kevin said.

"Why, all of us of course," said the werewolf that they thought was a prop. The goblin hanging from the basketball hoop came to life, the vampires hanging from the ceiling began to move, and a mummy stepped out of the shadow behind Sam. The werewolf reached out to grab Belinda. But before he could get her, Belinda pulled out a knife and held it to Kevin's back.

"Any closer and he dies," Belinda said gravely. The werewolf snarled viciously and backed away. Kevin was speechless; he began to tremble and stared at Sam.

Sam growled in anger, "Belinda don't do anything stupid. You're surrounded. You know what you have to do to make us go away Belinda. You have my locket and potions in your pocket."

Belinda smiled and pulled out the potions and a small piece of paper, "Oh I have the potions Shock. But I hid you're little locket and only I know where it is. So I'll make a deal with you and you're friends."

"What would that be?" Shock sneered.

"Kevin and I are going to walk toward the door, when we get there I'll put the potions and this little piece of paper with the location of the locket in Kevin's sweatshirt pocket, I leave, you won't come after me, and know one finds out about this. But if you do come after me I might just tell the police that I saw someone drag a dead body down into the catacombs in the graveyard. Heaven knows what they'll find down there. Do we have a deal?"

Shock clenched her fists and shook with anger, "Deal."

Belinda pulled Kevin by the shoulder towards the back door, keeping the knife poised firmly at his back. She whispered to him, "I'm sorry about this, really. But look on the bright side we both get out of this alive. And about what I said before, about hating you when Barrel died. I meant it. You remember how you were before it happened, what a rotten kid you were. Barrel was the nicest person I've ever met, when he saved you that night it proved to me just how nice he was. Saving someone like you and all. By the way, I think you have the right to know before you forget everything. Barrel is still alive, just ask Shock over there, she knows. She just might tell you. Well this is my end of the agreement."

Belinda pushed opened the back door and slipped the potions and the piece of paper in Kevin's pocket, "If you really want to see him, death is in the purple bottle. Say hi to Barrel for me."

She removed the knife from his back and ran. Kevin took a few shaky steps forward and collapsed to his knees. Shock started to go to him.

"You lied to me," Kevin said before she got to him, "You were like that all along weren't you?"

Shock stopped, "What are you talking about?"

"The cold shiver down my spine every other time we meet, never being out of breath no matter how hard we run a P.E., animals hate you, and the only thing I know about you're past is your two friends you left behind. One of them was Barrel wasn't it?"

"Belinda," Shock grumbled angrily, "she gets away and still causes a big mess."

"Shock, tell me."

Shock started quietly, "You're right Kevin I've been this way for a long time."

"How long?"

"Just about as long as Barrel, eight years, nine tomorrow night."

"How did it happen?"

"I ate all the Halloween candy that was supposed to be given to the trick-or-treaters. I got sick and had to stay home. I was so upset I didn't get out of my costume when I went to sleep," Shock's voice became thick, "When I woke up, I was dead. Half my house _was_ destroyed in a fire, I was destroyed with it."

"And Barrel, what about him?"

"He woke up when I did. Except he didn't remember anything, the crash did that to him. He asked me when I last saw him to find out who he was."

"Where Shock? Where is he?"

Protests came from all of the other creatures around them; Shock spoke up, "We can't tell you. No one can know. Dead men tell no tales for a reason Kevin. All it makes is more dead men."

Kevin laughed shakily, "What if I don't want to live anymore?"

"Don't say that Kevin!" Shock snapped, "If you die then what Barrel did for you will be a waste. No one here chose to die, I know I've checked. Even if you did die, there's no guarantee that you you'll end up like us."

Kevin was quiet for a second, "It's no different either way, no one remembers Barrel like Belinda and I do, his memory dies with us. Even if I don't end up like you, I want to die. I've wanted to die for eight years. Then, I met you. You were the only one who really listened to me, you understood me. I felt like everything was going to be ok. But from the start, I knew you were going to leave me, just like my family did."

Shock walked over and crouched next to him, "I can never change what has already happened. But, what if I said that I can make all those bad feelings go away for good? All I have to do is make some changes to the potion."

"Really?"

"Of course, all that sadness, all the pain will go away forever. You won't forget you family, just what happened tonight."

"Promise? Swear it."

Shock said with a smirk, "I swear by my slow-beating heart that I will make a potion to make those feelings disappear. Promise. But first things first, the potions and piece of paper."

Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out the contents. Shock read the slip of paper, "How fortunate, my locket is on the way home. Let's go."

She helped Kevin up and led him to the door. As he walked out Shock whispered to Tut, "Follow her. Get Goblin to shadow her, report to the graveyard in half and hour."

"What about the deal?"

"A witches' word means nothing until she swears. Besides, in all honesty, none of you are my friends."

Tut smiled, "Now there's the Shock we remember."

**Author's Note:**

Loophole! I love loopholes! Comment or you will never see the end of this Fan Fiction! Muah hah hah hah hah! *cough*


	11. Flashbacks

The moon was shining right through the forest around Kevin and Shock. The rest of the creatures were at the graveyard (or shadowing Belinda). Shock had fixed the cut and wiped the blood from her hair. The two walked in silence, a strange tension between them. Shock suddenly turned left into the forest, Kevin followed. They came to a small clearing with a giant tree in the middle. Branches from the tree twisted out in many different directions, one branch that hung almost to the ground had the locket wrapped around it. Shock walked directly towards it, stepping carefully where the grass ended and the dirt around the tree began. She grabbed the locket and stepped out into moonlight.

"That monster, she stepped all over his grave."

"Your other friend?" Kevin guessed.

"Yeah," Shock said quietly, "This is were he died."

"Dare I ask what happened?"

Shock stared at him for a silent second, "I guess its ok. *sigh* His real name is Laurence Simon, but when he... joined us, he chose the name Lock. He was just a kid, just like we all were. Lock got lost in these very woods that night. He wandered around forever but he couldn't find his way out. It got colder, he got tired, and when he found this tree, he tripped. He didn't fight it." Kevin thought he saw a tear fall down her face, "Of course people looked for him the next day, but no one ever found him. The mud under the tree buried him. The only reason I found this place is because he told me that he leaned against that branch when he was, sinking."

"Dose it always happen on Halloween?"

"Most of the time; come on I can't tell you this stuff. Let's go, it's getting late and your Grandma's going to throw a fit."

"Yeah, she just might feed me to the dog."

They both laughed, even though they both knew this might be the last time they would do it together.

********

"Honor's system now Kevin, just take the potion immediately before you go to sleep. You'll wake up in the morning in the best mood you've been in for years."

They were at the graveyard; the other monsters were hanging around. Tut was listening intently behind a tombstone.

"Thanks for doing this Shock."

Kevin turned and walked away, looking back only once.

"What was that?!," Tut squealed, jumping up from behind the tombstone, "No emotional goodbye? No tears? Not even a hug?"

"With you around to tell everybody back home about it? Tut I'm not stupid, Kevin and I said goodbye before we got here."

"Smart move," said Werewolf.

"I've been jipped!" Tut whined.

"Get over it Tut and open the door," Tut grumbled and opened up the epitaph, "Leave it open once I'm inside, there's no telling what will happen when I open the locket."

Shock stepped down into the dark passageway, careful not to touch the doors. The passageway was smaller and narrower than she remembered. If it was any smaller she would have had to squeeze her way through. Felling the walls around her she discovered that they were shelves, pushing her hand into the wall she felt the rough outline of a coffin. These really were catacombs. She walked a while into the darkness. Shock was afraid that she was already heading back to the entrance when she came across a dense feeling around her. Pushing her hands out in front of her she felt the ghost image of a wall. The portal was almost gone. Here was as good as ever. She removed the locket from around her neck and opened it.

The force that came from inside the locket was so strong that Shock felt that everything around her was being ripped apart. The eerie wind whipped around her and she soon found herself flying. Where she was flying to she didn't know, she didn't even know if she was flying up or falling down. The wind roared in her ears and made her eyes water. Through the tears Shock could see glimpses of the other worlds; Christmas Town, Valentines Ville, Easter Valley, The Mortal World, she even saw some worlds that she had never seen before. Just as the glimpses started they stopped and everything went into a blur. Shock's eyes were beginning to become heavy and sleepy. She was still flying, but now she didn't care where she landed, if she landed at all.

"_At least the portal is fixed," _Shock thought, _"Everyone can go home now, Kevin will live a new life, Barrel can come back, Lock…"_

Her thoughts drifted, she looked back on her memories. Flashes appeared of Lock, Barrel, and herself when they were little. Waking up in the woods, sharing their stories, the candy, the pranks, the laughs, they were all so clear. Every event replayed up until they said goodbye, then new memories appeared. Kevin, meeting him, becoming his friend, talking about everything, or just talking about nothing, when they laughed together, Kevin helping her through another of her crazy fundraisers, Belinda holding a knife to his back, making the new potion to make all his pain go away, saying goodbye...

"_At least I got to tell them goodbye."_

Shock closed her eyes.

**Author's Note:**

o_o … Review.


	12. Waking Up

Kevin woke up with a start. It took him a second to realize what was wrong, he was happy. He couldn't understand it, he shouldn't be happy. Today was Halloween, the worst day of the year. But Kevin couldn't help it, he was happy. He tried to think back to last night. Sam had shown up to the decorating late, both of them had gone to her house, they said goodbye. Sam was gone. He should be sad about that, but he wasn't. A yipping noise came from downstairs, Hercules needed to be walked. Kevin jumped out of bed and got ready. Today they were going to walk to somewhere different.

Belinda jumped when she heard her alarm clock go off. She peeked out of her closet to see if the coast was clear. The sun burned her eyes; she had spent the whole night in her closet with a cell phone and a baseball bat. Silencing her alarm clock she took a look at herself in the mirror. Hair stuck out in different directions, sweat marks were still there from running home last night, and there were huge bags under her eyes from staying up all night. She could have sworn that something was following her last night. Belinda groaned and got ready. Christina and Stephanie were coming over soon; they were going to spend the day with her getting the dance ready. If Shock or her friends show up they'll have to find a way around a crowd of people. Just in case, she had her knife close by. The doorbell rang, sending Belinda's head pounding. Today was going to be a long day.

Barrel peeked around the corner into the kitchen, no one around, good. Not that anyone would be around this early in the morning. He crept to a back cupboard that he had found the key to when he first got here. After looking around he unlocked it. Inside were piles of candy and chocolate that he had won off the some of the elves in poker. He stored his winnings here, his new stash. Taking out a sack he shoved all the candy inside it and emptied the cupboard. Carefully putting in a bundle of cookies he made last night. Saving the best for last, he took out his black and orange lollipop. He couldn't understand it but he had always liked this particular lollipop, maybe they were his favorite before he died. Shock would tell him. She probably knows all about him by now.

Lock groggily woke up on the hard ground of the Hinterlands. He had been in front of the door all night. The other creatures had already come through the door, Shock didn't. They said there was a huge rush of wind, it nearly blinded them. When the wind stopped they came through the portal without any trouble. The question was; where was Shock? Lock had waited, he hoped, he even prayed that she would walk out that door any moment.

"_What if she's trapped in the portal?" _Lock thought, _"What if the wind took her to some other world? What if she never comes back? If I never see her again… No."_

Lock got up; he was going to find her. He didn't care what it took; he was going to find her and bring her home. He walked over to the mortal door, the very door he had stared at for the past year. The door that never moved even though Lock had seen every other door change from holiday to holiday. He counted the days and nights when his family would walk out of these trees. Jack really hit them hard when he banished them to different worlds. They had never liked being apart for more than a few hours. Being apart for this long had eaten away at him. How many times has he tried just to touch the doors that separated them? Lock removed the gloves he now wore, he could still see some of the burns. As he placed his bare hand on the knob he felt nothing but icy coldness. Opening it he saw nothing but a black void where, somewhere, Shock was trapped. An eerie wind started to blow out of door. It steadily got louder and fiercer until Lock could barely stand it. Through narrowed eyes he could see something coming through the portal, fast. He barely had time to brace himself.

Shock was first aware that she was alive when a dull pain spread through her. She was still tired and her eyes were closed shut from sleep. It took her a moment to realize that she had stopped moving. The next thing she realized was that she was lying face down on something soft.

"Shock?"

That voice! Could it be? Was she dreaming?

"Shock," the voice said again, "I'm glad to see you and all. But do you think you should get off of me now?"

Shock's eyes flew open. She tilted her head up to see Lock looking down at her. Well, not technically down because he was lying down on the ground and she was lying on him, her head on his chest. The first reaction she had was to blush really red; the second was to drag herself off of him. Lock sat up with a grunt; apparently he had that dull pain too.

"What just happened?"Shock asked, still blushing hard.

"Well," Lock started, "You didn't come through the portal last night, I spent all night on the hard ground, and when I decide to look for you, you rammed into me. I should be asking what happened to you."

"You where coming to look for me?" Shock said, when Lock looked at her she thought she got one shade redder, "Oh, I uh, opened the locket. When I did the wind carried me away. I… fell asleep." She didn't tell him about the worlds or what she had thought was happening to her.

"Hmm, sounds like you had a better night sleep than I did," He got up and offered his hand to help Shock up.

Getting up and looking around, Shock was delighted to see the tall bare trees of the Hinterlands. The ring of holiday doors was the same as when she left. Her eyes fell on the Christmas door. "Is Barrel back yet?"

Before the words were out of her mouth the door began to open and Barrel stepped out in a flurry of snow, "Did I hear my name?" He looked the same as ever with his big ear-to-ear smile as he ran over to them.

They just stood together for a moment smiling like idiots and looking at each other. Until Shock jumped forward and hugged both of them, one in each arm, and cried, "We did it! We're together again!"

They all started crying after that, Shock felt good letting all the tears she kept in for the past year out, Barrel cried because of all the annoying little elves he had to put up with morning to night, Lock felt like a big sissy for crying like he did when they had left. But with Barrel next to him and Shock hugging him tightly, he didn't care. None of them knew how long they were like that but when they heard footsteps coming toward them they separated and rubbed their eyes. Shock was surprised to see Sally walk toward them. She wasn't surprised that she was there, what surprised her was the size of her belly, Sally was pregnant. Shock's jawed dropped and she gaped at Lock, who gave a shrug.

Sally moved closer, "I see you've all made it back safely."

Barrel and Shock didn't know what to say, thankfully Lock did, "Yeah, Shock made it out. Barrel just showed up a minute ago."

Sally smiled and said to Shock, "I'm glad to see that you're o.k. Shock. I've heard much about what happened during your time in the Mortal World. Have you handled it?"

Shock thought it over. "Actually," she said, "There's one loose end I need to tie up."

"Then go. You've all been given full pardon for what you'll do tonight. But keep this in mind. When I talked with Jack after you hearing, I told him that I could see something greater in you than Oogie's henchmen. Please, prove that I was right to have you reunited."

"We will," they said in unison.

Sally smiled and walked away. Lock and Barrel turned to Shock and said, "What do we need to do?"

Shock smiled, "Gentlemen, I believe that I have devised the greatest prank of all time." She turned to Barrel, "Is it safe to guess that you learned how to make a lot of cookies really fast?"

"Duh. With an entire factory full of sugar-crazed elves, you pick up the basics quick," Barrel held up his bag, "And you learn to keep your candy under lock and key."

"Good, because were going to give that loose end a special surprise," she said, smiling devilishly.

Lock and Barrel smiled too, when Shock made a plan, it was a good one. They all ran into the Mortal World door. Look out world, the terrible trio is back.

**Author's Note:**

I'm back! My computer is back and alive again. Yippee! Together again! What do you think Shock's plan is? Comment and tell me what you think it is!


	13. Friends

Chapter 13 Friends

Kevin was enjoying the cool morning air while Hercules dashed this way and that in front of him. The mist floated out of he woods and into the park that he was walking in, he was almost at the graveyard. Suddenly Hercules stopped and started barking furiously at something in the grass. When Kevin tried to pull him away he wouldn't come.

"That's strange," Kevin thought to himself, "He only barks at Sam that way."

Kevin looked at the spot that Hercules was barking at. Covered in the morning dew the silver locket gleamed when he picked it up. It was Sam's locket all right; he had seen it enough to know. But how did it get out here?

"Sam must have dropped it on her way home yesterday," he reasoned.

He had always wondered what was inside it; maybe this was his chance to find out. Just as he was about to open it he felt a strange vibe. Kevin wasn't sure where it was coming from. The nagging vibe stopped him from opening it, Kevin looked at the locket.

"Sam never let me see inside of it," thought Kevin, "This locket must mean a lot to her, I can't just open it without her permission. She'll be looking for this, but how will she know I have it?"

While he was standing there thinking about what to do Hercules pulled at the leash. Kevin put the locket in his pocket, he get it to her eventually.

*************************************************************************

"You're not serious," Shock said as she pulled the last batch of cookies out of the oven.

"I am," Lock replied as he finished drying the last of mixing bowls, which Barrel had the liberty of licking clean before they actually washed them, "The proposal, the wedding, the whole nine yards while you guys were gone."

"How selfish," Barrel said with his mouth stuffed with a candy bar, "It's like they don't trust us."

"Imagine it though," Shock said, "What we could have done with the wedding of the century? I hate to say this guys, but making us disappear was a pretty good idea on their part."

"Whatever," Lock and Barrel said in unison.

They were in the kitchen of Hastings House making a bus load of cookies for who-knows what. While they were making them the three talked about how it was like on their world for the past year. Shock finished wrapping up the last plate of pumpkin shaped cookies.

"Ok guys this is it," Shock announced, "This could be the last big prank we could pull for a while. From now on we have to watch ourselves. Or we could start this whole thing over again. Consider this our last hurrah, if not, our best. Are we clear on the plan?"

"All clear," Lock and Barrel said in unison again.

"But," Barrel said, "I don't get it Shock, what exactly did you put into these cookies?"

Shock smiled, "It's a surprise Barrel, for everyone."

*************************************************************************

Belinda watched her parent's car drive away, she clenched her costume tighter. The sun was going down and it was getting dark. But that was ok, the dance should start soon. Her parents had come over to drop off her costume which, ironically, was a sorcerers' gown. Looking at it now, Belinda realized how much it looked like a witch's costume. She groaned and turned back to the gym, to see that Stephanie and Christina weren't waiting by the door. There was an entire parking lot between her and a crowd of safety. She broke into a dead run, she was a sitting duck out here. Running and nearly tripping up to the gym doors and swung them open.

No one was there. Belinda gasped for breath and her knees began to shake. What happened to everyone? A cold chill down her spine, her hair stood on end, her heart starting beating like crazy.

Without turning around, Belinda quietly said, "You win. Make it quick."

There was silence for a moment before a voice behind her said, "Now what kind of friend kills another friend?"

Belinda spun around to see her dead best friend looking at her. He was taller, thinner, and his skin was a sickly, gray-green color. But his eyes were the same, those perfectly round and often confused eyes looking at her. Belinda collapsed to the ground and tried to find her voice.

"Don't look so scared," Barrel laughed, "No one knows I'm here. In fact Shock will probably beat me up when she finds out, which she will. She always finds out."

"B…Barrel…" Belinda stuttered.

"So you do know me. We were friends weren't we?" Belinda nodded dumbly, "Kevin too?" Another nod, "Hmmm, I still can't remember. I don't remember you, but I know what you've done. Bullying Kevin, breaking into Hastings House, knocking Shock over the head with a wooden bar, stealing the locket Lock gave her, threatening to kill Kevin, trying to get him to kill himself, that's all I know about you." Belinda shrank away from him, Barrel smiled, "Still scared? Don't be, I'm heading back now. People might notice I'm not exactly alive. Everyone went to the cafeteria to get the food, they'll be back any minute," he turned to leave, "I hope you won't tell about us meeting. I like where I went when I died, it's my home now. I don't want to hear that it's been exposed. Say hi to Kevin for me."

Belinda watched him walk away. Barrel didn't remember her; he didn't remember how close they were. But he didn't kill her, the Barrel she knew had to be in there somewhere. People were coming toward the gym carrying plates of food. She got her costume and stood up. The dance was about to begin.

**Author's Note:**

The locket lives! In the unsuspecting hands of a mortal. What sinister thing did Shock put in the cookies? Will Kevin live? Will Belinda die? Comment and click into the next chapter of _Separated!_


	14. One Dies

Chapter 14 One Dies

The music was loud and everyone had shown up to the dance. Belinda had changed into her costume and was staying close to anyone that looked like a chaperone. Making sure that her cell phone was clipped to her waist. The gym was mostly dark with lights going everywhere. Belinda couldn't tell two people apart, any one of them could be an actual monster. Belinda wandered around until she came to the snack table. A lot of people were gathered around it, passing around what looked like cookies. Belinda didn't think it was a problem until she heard someone say,

"Wow these cookies are great! You made these Sam?"

"With some help," a sweet voice said.

Belinda stopped cold. There passing out cookies, was Shock. She was wearing her regular witch's clothes now, no mask, and no makeup. Shock smiled at everyone then set her eyes on Belinda. Belinda's eyes were wide with horror slowly her hand reached for her cell phone, to find it wasn't there. Shock excused herself from the crowd and walked over to her. Belinda stood her ground; Shock couldn't do anything to her in a crowd like this. Shock smiled innocently and said,

"Hello Belinda, did you loose something?"

"What do you think you're going to do Shock? There are too many witnesses to do anything drastic," Belinda muttered.

"Are there?" Shock whispered, then announced to everyone, "Dose everyone like the cookies?"

An enormous "Yes" came from everyone in the gym. Shock's smile broadened, "Good."

Shock snapped her fingers. The music stopped, everyone stopped dancing, no one talked, everything was quiet. Belinda saw the crowd's eyes glaze over and they stared with vacant faces. Everyone had been put in a trance.

"Now what were you saying about witnesses?" Shock laughed.

Belinda made a break for the doors, only to find them bolted shut. She ran to the back door but was stopped by a devil.

"Leaving so soon?" The devil laughed, "I think not."

"You… you're… Laurence," Belinda stuttered.

"Ugh, I hate that name. Call me Lock."

"B…but you're buried under the tree. Where Shock was talking in the woods."

"What's left of me is, the same way that what's left of Shock and Barrel is in a grave somewhere."

"You think she would have figured that out," said a skeleton who was stuffing his face with everything on the snack table but the cookies.

"Barrel," Belinda said weakly, "you said you weren't going to hurt me."

"I'm not going to," Barrel held up Belinda's cell phone, "I already made my contribution, and who do you think made most of these cookies? Shock's the one with the rest of the plan."

"And what a plan it is," Shock said, "Allow me to demonstrate. Lock, switch the music to playlist number 13." Lock went, Shock then announced to the crowd of hypnotized dancers, "Alright everyone. When the music plays, dance to the song. You all know the steps."

Lock finished changing the music and a very loud version of the "Macarena" began to play, immediately everyone hypnotized started dancing in perfect harmony. Lock, Shock, and Barrel burst out laughing. There was nothing more satisfying than making others look like idiots. While they were laughing their guts out Belinda desperately tried the back door, locked.

"Don't bother Belinda," Lock gasped between laughs, "I jammed them shut. Why don't you enjoy the show."

The song had now turned to the chicken dance and the entire gym started flapping their arms. The trio burst into a new round of laughs.

"This is awesome!" Barrel said, "How did you do this?"

"Remember when I made that potion of suggestion?"

"Yeah," Lock said, "We gave it to Barrel and suggested that he should stick candy up his nose. He listened to us until that piece of caramel got stuck and he snapped out of it."

"How could I forget?"Barrel said, "I think some of that caramel is still back there."

"Well if that worked on the half-dead, this is what it dose to those with an actual heartbeat. The potion affects them better," Shock explained.

After the song changed to the hokey-pokey, the trio turned to Belinda, who had gotten a metal chair and was trying to smash the door down.

"Oh give it up Belinda," Shock said.

"Never! You are not going to kill ME!!" Belinda screamed as she threw the chair at her.

Shock smartly side-stepped the flying chair and said, "Who said anything about killing you? Thanks to that nagging little voice at the back of my head that now deserves to be called a conscious, I can't kill you. And since a witch is her strongest on Halloween no matter where she is, I thought I'd do something special," She motioned Lock to stop the music and the dancers stopped dancing. Everything was quiet again, "You see if there's one thing I know about you, is that the most important thing to in your life is yourself. What you look like, how others see you, that's all that matters to you. So I thought to myself 'What would happen if she couldn't make herself pretty?'". Shock gave a malicious smile and cast a spell on Belinda. Belinda yelled in pain as he face became covered in warts. Shock laughed maniacally before saying, "My second thought was 'She'll tell everyone' so I then thought, 'What if she didn't talk at all?'" Belinda raised her hands to try to protect herself but it couldn't stop Shock's second spell, which tore and destroyed Belinda's very voice. Belinda lay shaking on the ground, silently screaming, then violently thrashing her arms and legs around in a tantrum.

Shock turned to the crowd heading toward Belinda, "Alright everyone, one last performance. Everyone gather around Belinda, there just like that, teachers and chaperones in front. When I snap my fingers again you will all come out of the trance. You will see Belinda and be scared because there is something wrong with her. From now on you will never believe what she tries to tell you about me being a witch or any other monsters. You will just think of tonight and think she's crazy," Shock turned to Lock and Barrel, "Unlock the doors. Barrel get out of here, Lock start the music on track 7. Ready? Three… two… one…"*snap*

The crowd broke out of the trance. A round of gasps came from the teachers when they saw Belinda on the floor. Shock was first to speak, "Oh my gosh Belinda what happened?"

That snapped the teachers out of their panic and soon they were calling 911 and trying to get Belinda off the floor. During the mayhem that followed Lock and Shock backed away towards the door. Belinda saw them go. Ugly, silent, and now half insane, Belinda swore that one day she will have her revenge. And she knew just where to start. Through the crowd she saw a familiar mask staring at her, this was her chance. She got up, took out the knife she had hidden, ran to the owner of the familiar mask, and plunged the knife into his chest. Many people screamed at once, but Shock was the loudest. The students ran screaming out the door. Belinda tried to laugh, but even that had been destroyed.

The boy with the skeleton mask crumpled to the ground, gasping, holding on to the knife stuck in his chest. Some of the teachers tackled Belinda to the ground while the others tried to control the students. Shock was by the boy's side in an instant. Shock supported his head on her lap to make it easier for him to breathe; she took of his mask, to see Kevin looking back at her. Before she could say anything Kevin gasped,

"I.. I knew you'd be here, I c..came to give it b..back," he placed Shock's locket in her hand, "I w..wanted to, b..but I didn't look inside. Y..you w..wouldn't l..like it…"

Kevin's breathing started to tremble, Shock began to cry and said, "Would you like to see what's inside it, before you… you…"

Kevin nodded slightly. Shock held back a sob and opened the locket for him to see. This time the memories came softly, each floating into Kevin's mind. His face was in awe as he realized the secrets of what lies after death. The memories only lasted seconds and soon they stopped coming. When the last memory faded Kevin's chest started heaving, he was having a heart attack. His only reaction was to put his mask on again, his skeleton mask. The same mask that another skeleton boy had worn as he died. Kevin's heart gave one last beat and was still.

Sirens filled the air around Shock. She didn't hear them. Being half dead, she could only hear the silence of where a heartbeat used to be. She sat there crying until someone touched her shoulder, Lock. Seeing that it was too late for Kevin, the teachers wrestled Belinda out the door. The police were coming to arrest Belinda for murder, and insanity. They would ask a lot of questions to a witness. Shock carefully got up, setting Kevin's head on the floor. Lock lead her to the back door; but before he opened it he heard a sound. Shock heard it too, the distinct sound of metal on flesh.

They both turned around, to see Kevin pulling the knife out of his chest. Lock and Shock ran next to him. Kevin held the bloodied knife at his side.

"S…Sam," Kevin stuttered as he saw Shock, "I feel weird, right here." He placed his free hand over his heart; he kept it there for a moment. Then his eyes grew wide, "Sam. Why has my heart stopped beating?"

"Because it doesn't want to anymore," Shock said, her voice heavy, "You're one of us now. Kevin, you're dead."

**Author's Note:**

Bet you didn't see that coming! Muahhahahhahahahahahaha! But seriously, who do you think gets the better end of the deal Belinda or Kevin? The next chapter is the last so comment and let me hear your angry and or glad voices :D!


	15. Welcome Home

Chapter 15 Welcome Home

If Kevin said anything after that Lock and Shock didn't hear. Sirens filled the air around them. People where coming. If they found Kevin they would discover his half dead state.

"We have to go," Lock said, helping Kevin up, "Now!"

Lock and Shock got Kevin to his feet and rushed him through the back door. They barely made it out before the police stormed in; to see that the dead body everyone was panicking about had disappeared. The only evidence of homicide was a bloody knife lying next to a skeleton mask on the floor.

*************************************************************************

They were almost to the graveyard before Kevin felt good enough to walk again. He was still a bit shaky but he had gotten over the worst part of realizing he's dead. When the locket's memories had come to him he was filled with the knowledge of death. So his dying body became a half dead corpse almost instantly. Kevin couldn't remember most of what he had seen, not that he understood any of it in the first place. The graveyard was now in sight.

"So this whole place is underground?" Kevin asked, confused.

"For the last time," Lock said, annoyed, "Halloween Town is not underground. The way we get there is."

They went through the gates, Barrel, lollipop in hand, came toward them saying, "Guys wha…" Barrel stared at Kevin, Kevin stared at Barrel. Like if he had been in a trance himself, Barrel slowly stuttered, "I…I know you. Y…You gave me this lollipop, 'cause you knew I liked them. You gave it to me just before... Aaaaaahhhhh!" Barrel fell to his knees holding his head.

"What's happening?" Kevin screamed, crouching next to the shaking Barrel.

"Memory Recall," Shock said, "He's remembering everything death made him forget. It doesn't happen until it's triggered by something he otherwise would never ever forget. Seeing you again reminds him of how he pushed you out of the way to save you."

"Anyone would," Barrel whispered, "for his brother. Kevin… Why did mom and dad hit me with the car?"

Shock gasped. Kevin stared at Barrel, his voice shook as he said, "They were looking for us Barrel. We didn't come home, they came looking for us. Something was wrong with the car. Barrel, they crashed, into you."

Barrel stared with blank understanding and stood up. Shock asked, "I don't get it. How could you two be brothers, you look nothing alike. And why didn't you tell me Kevin?"

"I was adopted," Kevin explained, "That's why I was a terrible little kid. You could say I had some issues. But when I finally was adopted, Barrel and I just clicked. We were only together for one year before the accident. I didn't talk about it because I lost the only family I've ever had."

"Well, it looks like you got one back," Shock smiled, she put her hand out in front of her, "Four of a kind?"

"Birds of a feather," Lock continued, putting his hand in.

"Now," Barrel continued, adding his hand and inviting Kevin to put in his.

"And forever!" They all said in unison.

Suddenly a pounding noise came from inside the portal door, making them all jump. Barrel, being the closest, opened the doors. A huge dog shaped creature jumped out of the darkness and tackled him to the ground. Before the other three could do anything Barrel started laughing.

"How did you get here?" Barrel said to the creature, and then said to everyone, "While you guys were fixing towns and making enemies I made a friend. This is Klondike." The dog looked like a mixture of an arctic wolf, an Alaskan husky, and some other dog. The dog barked happily and liked his face, "He's a mutt. I found him just after getting to Christmas Town. For some reason he likes me. He probably followed my scent through the portal."

A siren broke through the air. "That would be the police looking for me and your body," Shock said, "Run for it!"

Lock threw open the portal doors again and disappeared into darkness, followed by Barrel, Klondike, and a somewhat reluctant Kevin. Shock paused a moment, looking back at the world that she had lived in. She was surprised to feel that she would miss it. But with a disappearance like that meant she couldn't come back. Flashing lights started coming toward her, she disappeared into the portal.

***********************************************************************************

"Ok Lock what's the big surprise?" Shock said. She, Barrel and Kevin were blindfolded just before they left the Hinterlands. Lock said that he had a surprise for them.

"You may now remove your blindfolds," Lock said theatrically, "and welcome home."

They did, to see the biggest house ever in front of them. Well sort of, half of it was under construction. Three stories high, a dozen windows, stone steps leading to large double doors, a black tiled roof, in the front yard was the mangled tree that used to hold up the old tree house, and a tower going up the side. At least that's what the front looked like; some of the side walls weren't finished.

"Two words my fine friends," Lock said proudly, "Haunted Mansion."

"You did this?" Shock said amazed, "By yourself?"

"Like I had something better to do?" Lock said, "The town repairs only took two months with my help. This place isn't even done yet, it's going to get bigger and bigger. And did you really think I was really let you come home to that dingy little room in the Town Hall?"

"Well I guess there's one thing left to do," Barrel said, "Dibs on the best room!"

He ran through the doors with Kevin and Klondike trailing after him. There was a sound of a spring being released and Kevin and Barrel giving a scream. Shock ran up the steps but when she opened the doors Lock held her back. In the high hallway Barrel and Kevin were hanging upside down, a rope trap around their legs. Klondike was wagging his tail and looking up them with what appeared to be a smile on his face.

"Did I mention that I booby trapped most of the house?" Lock smiled at them, "We'll come cut you down after I show Shock around. Rule one: never try to get upstairs through the first floor."

Lock stepped on a floorboard on the right side of the door. The ceiling opened up and a big, brand new cage elevator came down. They stepped inside and Lock pulled a chain hanging inside the elevator and they started going up. The second floor was clearly the living room. Lock showed Shock the kitchen, which most of it looked outdated but still working, the weapons room, which was mostly tools and an ax or two, and the candy vault, empty for the moment but not for long thanks to Barrel. They entered the elevator again to the third story. Lock lead her to her room. It was a big room with purple wallpaper, carpet, and bed. A large window gave a great view of spiral hill.

"Lock this is amazing!" Shock said looking out the window, "How could you afford to do all this?"

"I worked it out with Jack," he said, "I fix the graveyard, fix the town, and actually help with the Halloween preparations and the Christmas celebration for the rest of my life, I get whatever I need for this place."

"Oh Lock, you did that for us?" Shock said sadly.

"Don't be too surprised yet," Lock said smiling, "Come with me."

They headed back to the elevator and went all the way down to the basement. Lit by electric bulbs the cobble stone basement was filled with potion jars, tubes, beakers, and a few cauldrons. But they didn't stop there; they went across the room to a vacant corner. Lock pushed in a stone, the wall was pushed back to revel a hidden staircase. They climbed up three flights of stairs.

As they were climbing Lock said, "I made this place a long time ago but I didn't know what to do with it until recently. You can come up here whenever you like, I won't tell Barrel or Kevin."

Finally they reached the room on top. It was an art studio; windows ran all the way around the room, letting Shock see everything from the Hinterlands to Halloween Town. There was a desk covered in art supplies right next to an easel.

"Lock…" Shock said quietly, "How did you know?"

"I.. I found these," Lock said, holding up some pieces of paper, "You're really good."

They were the missing drawings. The breaking portal had sent them into the Hinterlands and into the sight of a waiting Lock. Shock looked at them, one was the full moon over Halloween town, another was the old tree house, and the last one was Shock and Lock walking in the moonlight. Shock blushed really hard; Lock blushed too, unconsciously fingering his gloves.

"You must have looked into the locket a lot to draw everything so well," Lock sheepishly added.

Shock tried to change the subject, "You've never liked wearing gloves before."

"Y..Yeah," Lock said, "Just a precaution you know, sharp tools."

Shock didn't believe him. With the speed that would impress a ninja, Shock grabbed his hand and pulled of the glove. Underneath were the slivery lines of healed scars, calluses, and most importantly, burn marks on his palm and fingertips. Lock took back his hand, she stared at him.

"I thought I was going insane," Lock said quietly, "I kept hearing you talk to me. I didn't know how but I heard your voice out of nowhere. I thought… that something happened to you. The door burned me but I still tried to claw my way in. Then I heard you talking about the tree and the woods. Shock, I _was_ an inch under the ground. I've heard everything you told me since you found me."

Shock didn't know what to say. She had told him a lot. Everything that was happening to her, every bad day, and everything she was feeling.

"It's strange. With you talking to me I didn't feel, alone."

Shock was past blushing at this point, "You want to know a secret? Before last night I never opened the locket. I never forgot about any one. Especially you."

And before she really knew what she was doing, Shock kissed him. To another surprise, Lock kissed back. When it was over they were back to blushing in silence. A bark came from downstairs and by a silent agreement they went to cut down Barrel and Kevin.

Barrel ended up sharing a room with Kevin and Klondike, which was fine with him. Lock spent the rest of the night showing them the secret compartments and booby traps of the first floor. Lock was serious when he said that he was going to make the house bigger because most of the back of the house was under construction. When asked why, Lock said that they'd find out what to do with the spare rooms once they're built. Everyone ended up working on the house, adding their own personal touches to each one.

Klondike turned out to be the best dog in the world. Barrel had taught him tons of tricks and he usually understood when they said "Get that out of your mouth!" which happened a lot. Kevin and Barrel really reconnected and were back to being best friends and brothers. Shock and Lock were kind of stuck blushing at each other for a while but eventually got back to being rivals when it came to who was leader. But when all was quiet and they were alone they would sometimes kiss again. Then go back to being terrible to each other, which was just fine with them.

THE END

Or is it?

Somewhere…

A shadowy little creature stirred inside a small closet. It was time. It slid under the door and into the next room. The hospital floors were cold but it couldn't tell, hard to tell when you didn't have any skin. The patient's room was dark but the patient wasn't sleeping, she was wide awake. She stared at the ceiling, after a while she pulled at her restraint jacket again. They put it on her after the police had come to question her and she reacted violently. The little shadow climbed up the food cart next to the bed.

It started to speak, at loudly as it could manage but was still very quiet, "It's me again. I know you think I'm not real, but I am." The patient looked to the shadow with blank eyes. "I can help you ya'know. I need help too. We could help each other." The patient looked away. "Now don't do that. Tell me, would you like to be beautiful again? Would you like to speak again?" Belinda looked back and nodded. "Would you like to be powerful?" Another nod. "I can help you with that, I can! But you need to help me get a new body." Belinda shrank back. "Oh no it's ok; we're going to make one. Once I have a new body and you're powerful and beautiful, we can go after those who made us this way." Belinda smiled. "Yes Shock, I know where she is, both her and Kevin. What do you say? Deal, partner?" Belinda nodded again. The shadow gave a little laugh. It moved onto the bed and unlocked the restraint jacket. Belinda offered out her hand and it climbed on. They were running from the hospital before the shadow said, "You should know who you're working with, my name is Oogie Boogie. I am the boogie man."

**Author's Note:**

If you haven't noticed by now, I love cliffhangers. Of course you know this means a SEQUAL! Keep and eye out for my next story, Stone Cold Revenge. Whenever it may come! Thanks to all the people/creatures/other who commented. You guys rock! Thanks! :)


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